Transfer comb



Aug. 16; 1932 Q c; ALVQRD i,872,023

TRANSFER COMB Filed April 26', 1930 4 Sheets-Shee l f lNVENTOR 1932 c.c. ALVORD 1,872,025

TRANSFER COMB Filed April 26. 1930 4 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR Aug. 16,1932. c. c. ALVORD 1,872,023

TRANSFER COMB Filed April 26. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 g- 16, c. c. ALVORD1,872,023

TRANSFER COMB Filed April 26. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR PatentedAug. 16, 1932 CHJEBRLESH CLINTOLL. -.ALVORD,M OF WORCESTER,MASSACHUSET'IS;. ASSIGL OR TO WORCESTER.- LOM- WORKS OF. WORCESTERCOUNTY, .MASSAGHTJ'SETTS.

Myuinventionzrelates toxtheitransfer icomb connnonlypuseda-to secure :inproperly spaced; relationithe free ends of the atuft'yarns L011 AX-j!minsterztube'rframespools-e I These .combs are? applied-to the.yarnstrands; at the setting; 1; frame-nude remain :with theispoolsawhile they; aredn: storage. :;They-.keepthe *yarnsdn proper order-:prepar atory:-.to beingthreaded through the tubes: of tuft i yarnframes: 1 a This opera-: tion WlllGh involves the use a of the :transfercomb is: welt -described in the: threading. machine patent to HathawayandLe-zmzfiz 1 1 513,8.6di Of: 8 611111214; 1915s I v f The type oftransfer comb now: i in 1186*; is

: clearlyishownr-in Fig.1 ll-of-thatapatentn 1t will be noted that-Hathaway'andLiea employ? a cap:piece118-to retainzthe yarns.-;.Itis1-the: main. object of my invention :to prodneeaai transfer 00mbawhich -will'; retain. the l yarns without the fuse {of such.- a'ca'ppiece.-.-: Another object contemp l ates. the iuseof suitable :meoha-inism-toengage the comb with the yarn: strands z and-other? obj ectswillibe sdescribedandpointe ed out in thePappendedclaims: V

My-invention; will-be 'bestefunde'rstood; by referenceto the following.-.desc-ription: when. taken :connectionwwith :the'accompanying:illustration of one specific embodimentzthere of, .while. its scope willvbe moreparticularly pointed out in: the r appended? claims. a

In the drawings 1 =Fig.; 1.:is a side elevation of one preferredmechanismfor engaging-the. transfer: combwi-th theiyarn strandsw Fig-2;;is a plan of .Figa 1;. Fig. 3;.is. a fnagmentary- 1 5 enlargedperspective vievw of one of the itr-ansa wide as the pitch or center tocenter distances other: member:" 'Whentthe. :combi'clampni 100 fercomb.squeezersm Fig; 41; shows -':n1y-=new transferv comb enlarged andninperspective,- part of the-teeth-=being.show-n: asnormally closed "while2 others rarer. shown 1-flXedfiand readyz-to' receive the yarn-strands.Fig. 5vis1 an enlarged; fragmentary frontviewwof my transfercomb\o-perativel-y positions d. with re:- 2 spect to the rear squeezer; andFig. 6 is: as view similar to Fig. 1 showing the mechanism swungidownito-its low 1 position.

Aswill'beseen by Fig. l mynew transfer? comb: is:- formed. of a 1 pieceof sheet 1meta-l-1.- provided-with :acseries :of "teeth 2,! the-base of-'each-.=t.oothbeing substantially half 5 as TRIANSFERTCOMB 1930. Serial110. 447,585.

between adjacentteeth, thus formingtyarn receiving slots-3for-thespacedretentionot pile'yarn strands,- one of which is shown as 4.vThe apices ofthelteeth are substantially incontact at 5;so asnormallyto close the yarn receiving. slots 8. Transfer combs are often '54 longand since. the comb-body lis relativelydight, springy'ma'terial 1 preferto QmPlOYylSFVO stiEeners-G and T riveted; or otherwise secured'to thebody to provide thenecessary rigidity.. To permit the broadside entranceof the pile yarnstrands I pro videmeans to flex theteeth alternatelysides I frame described in Patent 1,185,633, I have 1 indicated tensionrollers 8 and yarn spool 9 corresponding respectively to Collinsrollers; B and yarn spool E.- Reedcomb 10 is also the same as his combD.

To the setting-iframe sides 11-1 boltibrackets 12 which provide bearingsfor cam shaft 13. Fixed girtl extending between brackets 12 serves asafulcrum-forswing stand 15 to which. is screwed toothedrmember: 16. T heteeth on this member are clearly shown in Fig. 3 and: are of the-samespacing as the teeth on the transfer comb v Resting upon the planed feetof member 16 is-anothermember 17 similarlyeequipped with teeth. Member 1'17 is registered=-longitudinally -::with respect 'lJOrIflQI'Il bB'I? 16":by. being slida'b'ly. mounted ondowel-pins'18-to assure that theteethon thertwomembersaarewim alignments It willbe noted:thateveryiother tooth is pros vided :with awprojeetioir 19;,.suchprojections: occurring. on- .the -..odd;numbe-redateethzon onemember and the evenwnumberedfteethaon the=s dropped between these twosqueezer members 16 and 17 and allowed to rest upon dowel pins 18 asshown in Figs. 1 and it will be seen that the projections are oppositethe apices of the teeth. Now if pressure is applied to member 17 tendingto urge it against the transfer comb, the projections on the twosqueezer members will, in cooperation with each other, flex alternatelysideways the transfer comb teeth to permit the-broadside entrance of thepile yarn strands. The maximum offset possible is d finitely fixed bythe :eight of the projections as it cannot exceed I-I an amount 2 theprojection. Under maximum fiexure there is a certain calculable stressin the comb teeth. I so proportion the height of the proj ections andthe dimensions of the comb teeth that the maximum stress cannot exceedthe elastic limit of the material from which the transfer comb body 1 isformed. Thus when the squeezing pressure is removed the transfer combteeth will resume their normal positions in the same plane. By thisunique construction I eliminate all possibility of the stress in thecomb teeth exceeding the elastic limit of the metal as a permanent setor bend in the teeth would thereby be produced. To position the transfercomb in proper alignment with respect to the squeezer teeth I providetwo registering pins 20 located immediately adjacent the ends of thecomb to prevent longitudinal movement. When the operative inserts thetransfer comb between the squeezer members the mechanism is in the lowerposition as shown in Fig. 6. There are two similar cams 21 keyed to camshaft 13. Rollers 22 journalled upon studs fast in swing stand 15 bearon these cams. The cam lobes upon movement of the cam shaft by handle 13rotate the swing stand to its upper position as in Fig. 1. As thesqueezer members rise the pile yarn strands start to enter their properslots in the squeezer members but they cannot enter the transfer combyet as the squeezers have not been forced together. They are thus liftedslightly above their normal po sition and placed under added tensionpreparatory to snapping into the transfer comb after the teeth have beenflexed.

Referring to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the pointed apices of thesqueezer comb teeth extend somewhat above the substantially arcuateapices of the transfer comb teeth.

The squeezer comb being milled from the solid naturally is of a higherdegree of accuracy than the punched transfer comb and it is for thatreason that I prefer to extend the apices of the squeezer above thetransfer comb in order that the ribbon of yarns may be initiallycontacted and separated by the more accurate of the two combs. Once theyarn strands have entered between the teeth in which II the height of ofthe squeezer comb they will be guided by them into their respectiveslots in the transfer comb. I prefer to use the rounded form of apexshown on the transfer comb as there is much less chance of this shapecatching on the yarns on adjacent spools when in storage or at othertimes.

I will now describe one good form of mechanism which may be employed toflex the comb teeth. 7 There is a fixed girt 23 extending between twodepending lugs on swing stand 15. Two cam levers 24 fulcrumed upon thisgirt are provided with rollers 25 bearing upon similar cams 26 keyed tocam shaft 13. The upper ends of cam levers 24 terminate in lugs 27tapped to receive adjusting screws 28 so situated that the heads bearagainst the front squeezer member 17. Continued rotation of cam shaft 13forces the front squeezer member rearwardly to flex the comb teeth aspreviously described. I provide screws 29 tapped into lugs integral withthe setting frame sides 11 to bear against the hubs on cam levers 24.The purpose of these screws is to prevent any further'lift of swingstand 15 under the squeezing pressure exerted by cam lever 24. As soonas the comb teeth are fully flexed the pile yarn strands snap downtherein and squeezer cam 26 immediately relieves the pressure allowingthe comb teeth to spring back into line with each other. The frontsqueezer member retracts sufliciently under the action of spring 30 toprovide sufficient clearance for the squeezer members, upon continuedrotation of cam shaft 13, to swing down back to the position in Fig. 6leaving the transfer comb hanging on the ribbon of pile yarn strands andin easy grasping posi tion for the setting frame operative.

Summarized briefly, one revolution of cam shaft 13 swings the transfercomb'up against the pile yarn strands, flexes the teeth to permitbroadside entrance of the yarns, closes the teeth, opens the squeezersand then drops them allowing the transfer comb to remain hanging on theyarn strands. -This entire cycle may be performed with great rapidity,much quicker in fact than'the older method of picking up a cover pieceand securing it to the transfer comb. Moreover there is no pos sibilityof the yarns coming out of my transfer comb during the many handlings itreceives during storage and threading.

' While I have shown but one good embodiment of my invention I wish itunderstood that various modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit of my invention. 1

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a. trans fer comb for tuft yarns inwhich the teeth are relatively flexible, the apices of said teethnormally being substantially in contact so as positively to preventbroadside egress of the yarns.

2. A transfer comb for tuft yarns pro vided with a series of relativelyflexible teeth, the base of each tooth being less than the pitch of theteeth so as to form yarn receiving slots between adjacent teeth, theapices of adjacent teeth normally being sub-, stantially in contact witheach other so as practically to close the yarn receiving slots, wherebyyarns positioned in said slots are retained positively against broadsideescape.

3. In combination a transfer comb for tuft yarns comprising a piece ofsheet metal provided with a series of teeth, the base of each toothbeing substantially half as wide as the center to center distance of theteeth so as to form yarn receiving slots between adj acent teeth, theapices of adjacent teeth normally being substantially in contact witheach other so as practically to close the yarn receiving slots, withmeans adapted to flex the teeth sufficiently to provide broadsideentrances for yarn strands into said slots.

4. In combination, a transfer comb for tuft yarns provided with teethadapted to be flexed sideways to permit the broadside entrance of tuftyarns therebetween with means for flexing alternate teeth of said comb,said means being shaped and arranged so that the tensile stress in theteeth when fully flexed is below the elastic limit of the transfer combmaterial whereby the teeth will return to their normal position when theflexing means is retracted.

5. In a device for flexing the teeth of a transfer comb, two opposingmembers each provided with a series of aligned teeth, the even numberedteeth on one member and the odd numbered teeth on the other member beingequipped with projections formed to flex sideways alternately the teethof a transfer comb interposed therebetween when said members are forcedtoward each other, the height of the projections on said members beingsuch that the device is rendered incapable of flexing the teeth beyond apredetermined amount.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a transfer comb for tuft yarns inwhich the teeth of said member must be under stress to permit broadsideentrance of the tuft yarns therebetween,

7 The combination with a flexible tooth transfer comb for tuft yarns ofa member secured thereto serving as a stiffener member and also as alateral guard for the teeth whereby excessive sidewise flexing isprevented.

8. A transfer comb for tuft yarns in which the apices of the comb teethnormally are substantially in contact so as positively to preventbroadside escape of yarns positioned between said teeth.

9. Mechanism for engaging a flexible tooth transfer comb with a ribbonof yarns comprising a squeezer adapted to receive said comb and means,first to actuate said squeezer to flex the teeth of said comb and thento move said comb into operative engagement with said yarns, wherebysaid yarns are threaded broadside.

10. A transfer comb for spacing and retaining pile yarn ends comprisinga series of alternating tooth and slot formations, said teeth beingprovided with integrally-formed yarn retainers positively'to preventbroadside escape of yarns positioned in said slot formations.

11. That method of engaging a flexible tooth transfer comb with a ribbonof yarns which comprises placing the comb within a squeezer, actuatingthe squeezer so as to flex the comb teeth to permit broadside entranceof the yarns, raising the ensemble to permit the yarns to enter betweenthe teeth of the comb, releasing the squeezer to permit the broadsidethreading entrances on the comb to close and then lowering the squeezerleaving the transfer comb suspended on the yarns.

12. The method of engaging a transfer comb having tooth apices ofsubstantially blunt formation with a ribbon of yarn strands whichconsists in temporarily positioning sald transfer comb ad acent anauxiliary comb having tooth apices of substantiallypointed formation,the apices of the transfer comb being located slightly below the apicesof the auxiliary comb, and moving the ensemble toward the ribbon ofyarns to permit the pointed apices to initially contact and separate theribbon of yarn strands to guide Fibs them accurately into place betweenthe transfer comb teeth.

13. A transfer comb for tuft yarns provided with yarn spacing teethwhich are shaped to prevent broadside passage of the 113i? yarnstherebetween, said teeth being adapted to be moved apart from each otherin a direction substantially parallel to the yarn strands so as toprovide free broadside passage therefor. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afflxed my signature.

CHARLES C. ALVORD.

